FACE Act

Although the clinic blockades of the 1980s and early 1990s, called "rescues" by anti-abortion activists, are fewer than they used to be thanks to 1994's Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act [FACE], the ever-present threat of violence remains a fact of life for providers.

It’s a tried-and-true tactic: Any time anti-abortion activists are told that they can’t harass people, they scream that their First Amendment rights have been violated. Now, Rev. Mark Holick, OSA head Flip Benham, and longtime co-conspirators Chet Gallagher and Rusty Thomas are at it again, this time in Jackson, Wyoming.

Vigil for Life, a radical anti-choice group, was unsuccessful in "convincing" a woman to terminate an unintended and untenable pregnancy. So what did it do? It put out an All Points Bulletin to track her down.

The anti-choice protester is accused of pushing two clinic volunteers who were escorting a patient.

Spokesman Troy Newman invokes the Bart Simpson defense in sidewalk counseling.

Operation Rescue employs their inflammatory and deceptive tactics in New Mexico.

Clinic escorts around the country say that antiabortion protesters are allowed great freedom, including physically touching, threatening, and lying to patients. It is imperative that protections for clinicians, patients, and health center property are expanded.

Maryland resident Richard Retta faces a $10,000 fine for FACE act violations.

The FACE Act exists simply to keep anti-choice extremists from using violence or other terrorist tactics against abortion clinics and patients. Anyone "pro-life" should oppose terrorism, so why are anti-choicers fighting FACE instead?

Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte

Six people have been accused of FACE Act violations so far during the Obama administration, compared to one case under the Bush administration.